NCPDP Foundation Awards $200,000 Grant to CARIN Alliance for Consumer-Facing Real-Time Pharmacy Benefit Check Project

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The NCPDP Foundation is pleased to announce the approval of a $200,000 grant to the CARIN Alliance for their innovative project aimed at enhancing consumer access to real-time pharmacy benefit information. This grant will support the CARIN Alliance's efforts to update the Consumer-Facing Real-Time Pharmacy Benefit Check (RTPBC) implementation guide, aligning it with the latest NCPDP Real-Time Prescription Benefit (RTPB) standard.

The CARIN Alliance will utilize this funding to develop a comprehensive testing framework, conduct pilot implementations, and document best practices. The project aims to create a harmonized ecosystem that serves all stakeholders by synchronizing consumer-facing RTPB implementations with robust NCPDP Prescriber RTPB standards. Benefits to stakeholders include standardized implementation, reduced complexity, and improved interoperability for the healthcare ecosystem. Technical partners will gain clear guidance and validated frameworks, while consumers will have consistent access to cost and benefit information, enhancing healthcare decision support and prescription cost transparency.

John W. Hill, MBAHCM, Executive Director of the NCPDP Foundation, stated, "We are thrilled to support the CARIN Alliance in their efforts to enhance consumer access to real-time pharmacy benefit information. This project aligns perfectly with our strategic initiatives and will drive significant improvements in patient care and safety."

This grant was made possible with support from the CoverMyMeds Empowering Coordination of Care and Innovation Founder's Donor Fund, the FDB enhancing patient safety Founder's Donor Fund, and the NCPDP Foundation General Grant Fund. The project aligns with three of the NCPDP Foundation's strategic initiatives increasing patient access to care, enhancing patient safety, and empowering coordination of care & innovation.

David Lee, CARIN Alliance Co-Founder, added, " As the convener of the CARIN Alliance, Leavitt Partners is deeply grateful to the NCPDP Foundation for this strategic investment in synchronizing the CARIN RTPBC (FHIR) standard with the NCPDP RTPB (XML) standard. This grant will enable our multi-stakeholder collaborative to harmonize and synchronize the provider and consumer ecosystems, ensuring medication cost transparency is consistently available regardless of access point. With the Foundation's support, we will not only align these critical standards but also conduct industry pilots to validate their real-world implementation and impact. At Leavitt Partners, we've long recognized that standards alignment and practical implementation are fundamental to healthcare transformation and consumer empowerment. This project will ensure the robust prescription benefit information available to providers through NCPDP standards becomes equally accessible to consumers, exemplifying our shared commitment to advancing interoperability that delivers tangible value to patients." 

About the NCPDP Foundation

The NCPDP Foundation collaborates with organizations and individuals to support research initiatives that improve data sharing throughout the healthcare ecosystem, removing obstacles to quality care for patients, with a focus on pharmacy interoperability. The NCPDP Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.

SOURCE NCPDP Foundation